After-school Art Club

A members’ club and peer-support group for alumni of Art+Critique and invited members. The club meets monthly for a 2-hour seminar in a programme of events. The structure and programme of the club is developed collectively by the group members.

What is Alternative Art Education [2017] First Alternative Education Open-Day. 1 Oct 2017, SET Space, London. Photo Maria Christoforatou. — What is Alternative Art Education? First Alternative Education Open-Day. Oct 2017, SET Space, London. Photo Maria Christoforatou.

The first session is free. Come along and catch up with members of your cohort if you are too busy to get involved for the time-being. If you plan to come along for the first time please fill in the registration form. Please do not subscribe until you have been to your first session.

Quick links

Upcoming modules
Context
Canvas, Zoom, Jitsi
Meeting times and places
Membership and decision-making
Coordination, facilitation and admin
A Charter for the After-school Art Club
1. What we do
2. Our values
3. How decisions are made
4. Code of Conduct
5. Facilitator/co-ordinator role
6. Membership
Registration
Subscription
Archive

Upcoming modules

Thu 26 Mar #43 Developing Public Materials for the Event
Thu 30 Apr #44 Final Preparation for the Event
Sat 02 May #45 Event at The Cube, Bristol
Thu 28 May #46 Review of the Event
Thu 25 Jun #47 Planning Future Sessions

Context

Art&Critique flyers. Bookclub#11 Badiou 2016-10-14. Photo by Stephen Bennett. — Art&Critique flyers Oct/Nov 2016. Photo by Stephen Bennett.

The idea of a monthly subscription-based seminar emerged in discussions with the Art+Critique Autumn 2021 cohort about ways to follow up after the course. I asked whether a module on professional development would be useful. What I had in mind included seminars on artist websites and developing your online profile, CVs and artist statements, funding and applications, accounting and taxes for the self-employed etc. In our discussions this broadened to include peer review sessions, reading groups and workshops.

Which was déjà vu, because I founded a similar free and open-access group for alumni called ART&CRITIQUE from 2015-2019. This was self-funded volunteer work because the donations didn’t even cover the expenses, and it eventually led to burn out. My free labour was not always acknowledged, but I received help and support from the same few members of the group. My ambition is that this group will develop collective working methods.

Apart from the interesting connections between the work and practice of participants on each course, there are also very interesting connections between participants of different courses, that only I can see. Bringing the cohorts together in this club will enable these connections to manifest and potentially evolve into discussions, study groups, mutual support, collaborations and partnerships etc.

Canvas, Zoom and Jitsi

To join the Zoom meeting

https://us02web.zoom.us/j/87647544886?pwd=VlFzK0owckQ5UE5sY2JtRXFXZWRqQT09
Meeting ID: 876 4754 4886
Passcode: 820622

To join the Jitsi Meeting

https://meet.jit.si/After-schoolArtClub2024

To join Canvas

We use Canvas as a platform for communications, coordination, discussion, decision-making and resources. It is simple and straightforward to use.

Click here: https://canvas.instructure.com/enroll/RWCTNH
Or sign up at: https://canvas.instructure.com/register and use the join code: RWCTNH
You can download and use the Canvas Student app on your phone

What is Alternative Art Education [2017] First Alternative Education Open-Day. 1 Oct 2017, SET Space, London. Photo School of the Damned.

Once you’ve joined Canvas, please familiarise yourself with the platform. The Home page has all the important links. Click on Syllabus for info and quick links to the Jitsi/Zoom meeting and upcoming dates. Please share your ideas for the programme and respond to proposals or calls for expressions of interest in Discussions. This will help us organise future sessions.

If you know a more useful platform (e.g. Discord, Loomio, Open Collective, Whatsapp), please post a thread on Canvas so that we can discuss and make a collective decision to move to another platform.

Meeting times and places

We meet on the last Thursday of the month, from 6:30-8:30pm, via Zoom, unless otherwise specified.

We can arrange to meet on additional dates, to visit members’ studios and exhibition previews, workshops, festivals, talks etc. We can create working groups for collective or collaborative projects, commissions and residencies etc. In December and August we can meet before the summer and winter breaks.

We will develop formats to suit the intentions of each session, and the location of the participants. This is an international group, with members from around the UK and the world. Therefore for the time-being, sessions will be online or hybrid, as appropriate to each session. We can meet IRL and enable those who cannot be there physically to participate via Zoom. We can book physical spaces for workshops in London (in affordable venues or in exchange for a donation), or meet in locations outside London, we can visit artists’ studios and exhibitions, and we can meet outdoors.

Membership and decision-making

Membership is open to alumni of the Art+Critique course. In 2025 we extended this invitation to more people. Existing members nominate candidates and we invite them to an introductory session.

Seeds of Change Meeting Conduct. The Field New Cross, 2 June 2019.

Members of the group are encouraged to facilitate one-off or series of events to develop their own practice, try out new things, and share their practice and research with the group for feedback. If you would like to facilitate an event please share your ideas in the Canvas discussion threads or on Padlet (link via Canvas).

If you’d like to propose new activities or aspects and procedures of the club, or would like to change existing ones, please start a thread on Canvas, describe your proposal and share it with the group so that we can come to a collectively agreed decision at the next meeting.

Coordination, facilitation and admin

Self-organisation for Co-operative Art Education. Conway Hall, 28 Nov 2019.

In 2024 we shifted to a peer-led format. The art club currently has two member-coordinator/facilitators in a shared role. The role is assigned via self-nomination and confirmation by the group. The role is renewed or re-assigned every 6 months and involves coordination, facilitation, admin, pastoral care for members and support for guest facilitators. The job description and assignment process are available on Canvas. The successful candidate/s need public liability insurance and must be registered as self-employed so they can be paid by invoice. In future, it would be great to register the club on Open Collective, where all the accounts will be visible to the public.

The current compensation for the role of coordinator/facilitator is £40 per session, which is more than we currently raise from subscription fees. Compensation for this role will increase in line with our income. At the very least, the income from the monthly subscription fees should cover the co-ordinator/facilitator’s time for two hours at the rate of £50 per hour. This is an absolute minimum because the role has involved several hours to several days of work per month. For context, please see Rates of Pay by Artists’ Union England.

A Charter for the After-school Art Club

1. What we do

A members’ club and peer-support group for alumni of Art+Critique and invited members. The club meets monthly for a 2-hour seminar in a programme of events. The structure and programme of the club is developed collectively by the group members.

The aim of the club is to provide a platform for peer support, discussion, exchange and learning in order for members to develop their creative and/or critical practice.

The benefits of membership include being part of a committed and supportive group of artists and others who are interested in pursuing critical avenues in art, be that through practice, curation, writing, or research, academic or otherwise. To be involved in a collective that gives space for risks, experimentation, different ways of thinking, and allows members to be autonomous and have an active role in decision making and the continuous development of the collective body.

2. Our values

Our values are that as a group we are supportive and kind, offering constructive criticism and encouragement without prejudice.

3. How decisions are made

Decisions that affect the future of the art club are made by consensus. Different levels of formality and complexity are possible, but the essence of consensus is that anyone can make a proposal, and anyone can veto any proposal. Silence means assent – if nobody vetoes a proposal or decision then it goes ahead. A proposal or decision can be stopped by an objection that would contradict the art club constitution and/or endanger the existence of part or of the whole organisation.

Proposals must have a time-limit from the start. The proposed task must define measurable goals, a time frame for completion (or progress if it is to be continuous), and a notice period that will be given if it is discontinued.

Decisions affecting a single event, or self-contained series of events are made by the facilitators of those events. Facilitators have freedom and autonomy in the design of their events. Once a proposal for an event is accepted and scheduled, they are ongoing and cannot be interrupted.

4. Code of Conduct

This club is a positive, supportive and collaborative environment for members to share their work, exchange ideas and learn with and from each other. Please respect and observe the rights and feelings of fellow participants.

Responsibilities of membership:

Listening to others when they are speaking
Being respectful to other views that you may not agree with
An openness to different ideas and lived experiences
Attendance and engagement in meetings
Sharing work and/or engaging with others who share

There is zero-tolerance against harassment and bullying, which includes:

Verbal comments that reinforce social structures of domination related to gender, gender identity and expression, sexual orientation, disability, physical appearance, race, age, religion, class or technical skill level
Negative comments
Unwelcome sexual attention
Intimidation, threats, insults, abuse and abusive language or other attacks
Any activity meant to convey or cultivate hostility
The encouragement of such behaviour

Please also avoid the following:

Misusing screen-sharing capabilities
Interrupting speakers and other participants

Participants who violate the code of conduct will be asked to leave the group.

If you are being harassed, notice that someone else is being harassed, or have any other concerns, please contact the facilitators: Genevieve Davis genevievecameo@gmail.com and Katie Tysoe evershonk@gmail.com

5. Facilitator/co-ordinator role

The role is assigned via self-nomination and confirmation by the group. The role is renewed or re-assigned every 6 months and involves coordination, facilitation, administration, pastoral care for members and support for guest facilitators. The job description and assignment process are available on Canvas. The successful candidate/s need public liability insurance and must be registered as self-employed so they can be paid by invoice.

6. Membership

Membership is open to alumni of the Art+Critique course and other invited members. Existing members will periodically be called to invite prospective members to join the club, after attending an initial free meeting.

Criteria for nomination:

Who will benefit from being a member of the art club?
Who will be a valued and engaged member? Will they regularly participate in and contribute to the art club?
Are they artists, curators, writers, researchers or otherwise committed to art and artists?
Can they afford the subscription fee?
Are they free on alternative Fridays and Thursdays?

Registration

Subscription

The monthly membership fee is £5 per month, £4 concessions or £6 optional if you can afford this. The membership fee may go up or down depending on the number of members, expenses, inflation etc.

If you are an existing member please use the subscription form below to renew your subscription. You need to enter your membership number to subscribe, you can find this in the membership confirmation email and invoice. Alternatively if you wish to unsubscribe please click the link in the section below.
If you are joining the club as a new member please fill in the registration form above. Once you have submitted the registration form we will be in touch with your membership number, which you need to enter into the subscription form.

To unsubscribe

If you want to take a break or leave the club please click below to unsubscribe. To join the group again please come back to this page and resubscribe.